Post-stroke treatment with miR-181 antagomir reduces injury and improves long-term behavioral recovery in mice after focal cerebral ischemia

• Post-stroke treatment with miR-181a antagomir reduces infarction size.
• Post-stroke treatment with miR-181a antagomir reduces long term neurobehavioral deficits.
• Both ICV and IV administrations are effective.
• Post-stroke treatment with miR-181a antagomir reduces inflammation.
• miR-181a antagomir administered after stroke onset targets BCL2 and XIAP.

miR-181 has deleterious effects on stroke outcome, and reducing miR-181a levels prior to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was shown previously to be protective. Here we tested the effect of post-ischemic treatment with miR-181a antagomir by intracerebroventricular and intravenous routes of administration on infarct size, neurological outcome, inflammatory response and long term behavioral outcome. Post-treatment with miR-181a antagomir significantly reduced infarction size, improved neurological deficits and reduced NF-κB activation, numbers of infiltrating leukocytes and levels of Iba1. Targets affected by miR-181a antagomir administered after stroke onset include BCL2 and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP). Post-treatment with miR-181a antagomir significantly improved behavioral outcome assessed by rotarod at one month. These findings indicate that post-treatment with miR-181a antagomir has neuroprotective effects against ischemic neuronal damage and neurological impairment in mice, and the protection is long lasting including recovery of motor function and coordination over one month. The ability to protect the brain with post-treatment with miR-181a antagomir with long lasting effect makes this a promising therapeutic target and may be an innovative and effective new approach for stroke therapy.